Eloise
by Nadeyshico
Summary: The war is over. Voldemort's dead. The Ministry of Magic is getting creative about re-populating the Wizarding World. Hermione faces her future.
1. Chapter 1 - The letter

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Harry Potter. All the characters portraid are property of one brilliant J. K. Rowling. Only the plot is mine. I do not profit from this in any way.

* * *

Three years had passed since the second war in the wizarding world ended. People had started to go back to their lives and were starting to heal the wounds they had been left with. Family members that had perished in battle, from the smallest 11 year-old to the bravest of men were mourned, ceremonies were made, and awards were given. In spite of all the beautiful and proudly pronounced words to honor the fallen, everyone knew the world they once knew was never coming back. The scars were made and the pain was suffered.

In an attempt to accelerate the healing, the Ministry of Magic had come up with a solution to counteract the effects of the hundreds of lives lost. They decided to send a special letter to particular subjects, in possession of certain characteristics, listing a number of 'actions' they were _advised_ to do in a certain period of time in order to help their world recover faster. Of course the _advice_ part was only to foolish the less attentive, for there were consequences to the ones that didn't accomplished the listed tasks.

Harry Potter, the war hero, savior of the wizarding world, head of the golden trio, the-boy-who-lived-twice-and-killed-Voldemort, was having breakfast in his house when the mail came from the window.

'Mail's here, honey.' he called to his wife who was upstairs in the bedroom.

His yellowish brown owl, Melvin, flew over the table, dropped the letters on it, and then flew right to his side, standing on the back of a chair. Harry picked up a few owl treats, gave them to his little friend and petted it on its head. Melvin hooted in appreciation and then flew away.

Harry picked up the small pile of letters and started to sort them 'Garbage, bills, fan mail, garbage, garbage, bills and gar… oh wait… what's this?'

'What's what, Harry?' asked Ginevra Weasley Potter, entering the kitchen and hearing the admiration on her husband's voice.

'Well, I was checking the mail and _this_ came up.' he revealed the two envelopes he was talking about. Official looking envelopes, with the Ministry's seal. 'One for you and one for me'.

Accustomed to having all types of mail entering her house, she wasn't too much concerned about the contents the envelope could have. 'So? What are you waiting for? Just open it already. Mine's probably the same, anyway.'

Breaking the seal, Harry picked up the parchment inside and read out loud.

'_Dear Mr. Potter, it is with great satisfaction that your Ministry presents you with the new tasks that are required of all selected wizards and witches in order to help improve the wizarding world we live in._'

'This ought to be good…' Ginny commented with a doubtful look.

Harry looked at her, understanding what she meant and then continued to read _'To counteract the devastating effects that the Second Wizarding War had on our world, all Wizards and Witches between the ages of 17 and 90 are _advised_ to do as follows: _

_(1) Find a partner:_

_ a) Half-blood or Pure blood, if you're Muggleborn_

_ b)Muggleborn, Half-blood or Pure blood, if you're Half-blood_

_ c)Muggleborn or Half-blood, if you're Pure blood_

_(2)* Formalize the choice. To do this, the applicant must send a _Marriage Form_ to the Ministry of Magic and, after approval, the Ministry will send the proposal to the intended subject. If the intended subject accepts the offer, the Ministry of Magic will notify the applicant and contacts will be sent to each part._

_(3)** Marry. Both the applicant and the intended subject must agree on a date to perform the marriage and notify the Ministry so that the Department of Marriage can schedule the ceremony on the date chosen or a date proposed._

_(4)*** Conceive a child. After the marriage is validated, all couples will have to conceive at least one child._

_With the best regards,_

_Minister of Magic_

_*The applicant has exactly 60 days since the receiving of this letter to complete the first 2 tasks._

_**After the proposal is accepted, the couple has 30 days to schedule de date and perform the ceremony. The marriage will only be considered valid after it has been consummated. If the consummation does not take place within the 30 day period, the marriage will be considered void along with the proposal._

_***The couple has exactly 365 days to conceive a child, or else the marriage will be considered void._

_The failure to complete all four tasks is punishable with breaking of the subject's wand and expulsion from the wizarding world. _

As Harry finished reading the letter, his voice faded to a whisper and he just stared at the parchment, unbelieving the words he had just read. After what seemed like an eternity, he looked up to his wife and she had her hand covering her open mouth and her eyes widely open.

'Oh Merlin, I can't believe they are going to do this! They can't! There must be something to prevent this! Some law, some, some… I don't know. Something!' Ginny finally burst.

'I am not less surprised than you are but we have to look on the bright side: we already have the 3 first tasks completed.' he said with a smile and then added with a more serious and concerned face 'Unless you don't want to complete the fourth, of course.'

'Oh, stop it you. You know perfectly well I am more than willing to do the fourth. I want to have a child with you, I just wasn't expecting to be controlled by the Ministry about it.' She said seriously 'But my concern is not so much about us, Harry.' She looked at him meaningfully and he understood what she meant.

'Shit. You're right. I almost forgot about Hermione.'

Meanwhile in another house...

'I can't believe it! This can't be! Those imbecile, incapable pieces of… aarrrgggg!' Hermione yelled alone in her living room. She flopped down on the couch and inhaled profoundly. When she exhaled, the breath came as a sob. What started out as anger at the Ministry's revolutionary idea to help the wizarding world, ended up to be the unavoidable reminder of one of her greatest losses.

She hadn't thought about it for quite some time but the simple mention of the word _partner_ was too much for her and she felt like her heart was braking once again. Ron was _supposed_ to be her _partner_. Everybody knew that and so did she. But he couldn't be her partner now. Not now, not ever. Ronald Weasley, member of the golden trio, was one of the hundreds of people that perished in the war. He died along with his brother Fred, Remus, Tonks, Moody, and so many others, too many to recall.

Hermione had missed them all and mourned their deaths but no one had left such a big hole in her heart as Ron had. It wasn't fair. Her parents weren't with her, which was the same as they being dead, since they had no recollection at all of whom she was. Harry had gained a family. In the middle of all this confusion, war, loss, Harry had found the Weasleys and, specially, he had found Ginny. What about her? She lost her parents, Ron and at the same time – or consequentially - the Weasleys. In summary she lost her real family, her second family and the opportunity she had of creating her own.

Letting herself go, she cried herself to sleep, completely forgetting about her job.

She woke up a couple of hours later with a ringing on the bell and so she stood up to go to the door, eyes still red from her tears. When she opened it, she found two pair of concerned eyes staring at her. She let the door open for them and went back to the couch.

'How are you, 'Mione?' Harry asked after entering and sitting on the armchair. Ginny sat beside her and put her hands on top of Hermione's.

'We received it this morning and came here as soon as we could.' Ginny said.

'I can't do it, I just can't.' she only said.

'You have to, 'Mione. You know what happens to those who don't. Besides, I bet there are loads of decent guys willing to marry you. After all, who wouldn't?' She knew Harry was trying to cheer her up but not even him was enough this time.

'That's not true, Harry, and you know it. But thank you.' she tried to say something else but she just couldn't talk, her throat was tied up so tightly.

'Hermione, I know this is not the best case scenario, but who knows? Maybe you'll find someone you can be happy with. Sometimes we find love in the last place we thought possible.' said Ginny 'We can help you… at least for part of the time.'

'What do you mean?'

'That's what we were supposed to talk to you about in sometime this week but this Ministry thing came up and we just ran here.' Harry started, shifting in the armchair, uncomfortable. 'You remember me telling you about the proposal I _thought_ that Italian quidditch team was going to do, right? Well, I wasn't really sure they were going to actually do it and I really hoped they did, but on the other side I didn't want them to because then I would have to move and get another house and all that. But on the other hand I really, really wanted a change because…'

'Get to the point, Harry!' Hermione yelled to her best friend

'Well, they _did_ invite me and I _did_ accept it.' he finished and then looked at her.

'Oh…' that was a slap in the face… with a chair… soaked in alcohol and wrapped in barbed wire. So, basically, Hermione lost her parents, her _soon-to-be-fiancé_, and now she was about to lose her best friend at the same time as she was supposed to get a fiancé and marry him in two months' time. _This is just getting better by the hour_. She then realized she was supposed to be happy for her friend and support him, so she put her best smile on her face and added 'Hum, I mean, I guess congratulations are in order. So when are you going?'

'Hermione, we didn't expect this to happen so suddenly. We were hoping to have a bit more time to talk to you and explain things.' Ginny said

'No, that's ok. You have to live your lives, right?' Hermione tried not to look disappointed but it was hard keeping it on with all the stuff that was going through her head.

'Look 'Mione, we are going to Italy in two weeks but until then we will try to help you as much as we can, ok? I promise we'll find someone.' Harry was trying to calm Hermione and himself down because the truth is that with all of these sudden changes, he was kind of nervous too. _I can't imagine what she's going through, right now. _

'Harry…' Ginny called softly.

'I know.' Harry answered, getting up and then looking at Hermione 'We have to go now, but promise me that if you need something, _anything_, you'll call us.'

'Ok.'

'See 'ya, 'Mione.' Ginny kissed her cheek and Harry her head.

And that was the last time she saw them before they went to their new lives. They never contacted her in the next two weeks, like they promised. _They must be busy. After all, they are moving away from the country and starting a new life away from this mess. I wish I had that choice. _

Now she was truly alone, but she couldn't lose any more time pitying herself and asking why this had to happen. For some reason unknown it _was_ happening and the only thing she could do about it was finding a solution to her problems. But it looked like the solution to all said problems went through finding a fiancé, marry him and have a child. No more loneliness, no more bothering from the Ministry and a brand new family. _Piece of cake. I _only_ have to do those _tiny little _things and I'll be fine._

For another two weeks Hermione kept on with her normal life and in some way ignored that her life was supposed to suffer major changes in the next month. She didn't receive any other letter from the ministry since that fateful day.

Until a certain morning when, while she was having her coffee, a grey owl came through the kitchen window carrying an envelope in its paws.

She took the letter and gave the owl a treat. She observed carefully the handwriting on the front of the envelope and recognized it. She had seen it before but she just couldn't quite place where. Not wanting to wait more and suffer in anticipation, she opened the envelope, took the sheet of parchment on the inside and opened it.

_Dear Ms. Granger,_

_I hereby inform you of my wish to propose a marriage between yourself and my person. Having knowledge of the formal procedures I have sent a marriage proposal to the Ministry of Magic that should arrive soon after this letter. _

_I understand that the reason for my contact is not ordinary and most probably unexpected, but I can assure you I have all intentions of clarifying my intentions as soon as you agree to meet me._

_With no further subject,_

_Draco Malfoy_

* * *

**AN**: I know, I know this is almost nothing to start with, but I just want to 'test the waters' and see where this goes from here. I haven't written much of this although I already have an idea of where I want it to go. The problem is finding the time, and the patience to put it on paper, because in our head we picture it just like a movie, but putting pen to paper (or fingers on keyboard) is much more 'painful'.  
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this short short short beginning and tell me what you think.

p.s.: I am not an English native speaker so please, forgive my mistakes and feel free to give me some advice ;)


	2. Chapter 2 - The politeness

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Harry Potter. All the characters portraid are property of one brilliant J. K. Rowling. Only the plot is mine. I do not profit from this in any way.

* * *

**Last time:**

She took the letter and gave the owl a treat. She observed carefully the handwriting on the front of the envelope and recognized it. She had seen it before but she just couldn't quite place where. Not wanting to wait more and suffer in anticipation, she opened the envelope, took the sheet of parchment on the inside and opened it.

_Dear Ms. Granger,_

_I hereby inform you of my wish to propose a marriage between yourself and my person. Having knowledge of the formal procedures I have sent a marriage proposal to the Ministry of Magic that should arrive soon after this letter. _

_I understand that the reason for my contact is not ordinary and most probably unexpected, but I can assure you I have all intentions of clarifying my intentions as soon as you agree to meet me._

_With no further subject,_

_Draco Malfoy_

* * *

**Now:**

No way. There had to be a mistake. There is no way this letter was intended to her. It just couldn't be. How could Draco _Malfoy_, Slytherin Prince, manipulative prick, be sending her, _her, _a letter? After all, she was only Granger, the _Mudblood. _

Hermione couldn't believe her eyes and she was seriously suspecting his intentions. Draco Malfoy had done nothing but torment her during their school years and never, ever said a single pleasant word towards her, so why would he _propose_ to her after all this time? _'Oh wake up, Hermione! It's not like he is professing his undying love for you! He is, just like you, stuck to this stupid law and, just like you, has ran out of options. He didn't say a word about liking you, much less loving you. Grow up girl.'_

It was hard to accept, but it was the truth. She was stuck, he was stuck. She didn't want to leave, he didn't want to leave. As simple as that. _'Ok, that I understand, but why me? I mean, he must be the guy with most connections she knew, and probably the majority were female, so why would he pick her amongst all of them when he hated her from the beginning?'_ She had to know, like she always had to know everything, so she only had one option.

And so, she began writing.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_As astonished as I am by your letter, I think I have an idea of your reasons. Nevertheless, I would be pleased to hear them from you. I am willing to meet you in a public place, in a date and time of your choosing._

_Best regards,_

_Hermione Granger _

She couldn't believe herself. She was exchanging polite letters with Malfoy, calling each other by their full names, when just a few years ago they had traded insults of _mudblood_ and _ferret_ back and forth.

This was just wrong.

But she had to face it: the deadline was approaching and she didn't have a solution right up her sleeve like she used to have. This was just a problem too complicated for her to solve on her own, because it necessarily involved someone else's life _and_ feelings. _'Feelings? Who in their right mind things about feelings? What's important is to have babies and populate the earth. What does it matter if you love or not the person you're having children and spending the rest of your time with? Nothing! What matters is _who_ you marry, not if he/she will be a good parent or the kids will have a nice education. Lineage first!' _Hermione thought sarcastically. Her hope was hanging by a thread and she was really starting to get desperate so she decided she was going to hold on to whatever opportunity came her way. If Malfoy was it, so be it.

…_If _he could convince her.

Just like he had written in his letter, the Ministry's owl flew by, not 20 minutes after his. It was carrying an envelope which Hermione grabbed. She opened the large envelope and there she found 5 documents attached to a letter.

_Dear __Miss Granger__,_

_We are pleased to inform you that at __10.03am__, __June 6th__ of __2001__, the Department of Marriage from the Ministry of Magic received a Marriage Proposal directed at your person, on the behalf of __Mr. Draco Malfoy__. _

_We have review the proposal and have found no objections to the marriage, according to the new rules of marriage presented by the Ministry of Magic._

_Attached to this letter you will find:_

_(a) a copy of the Proposal of Marriage from the applicant;_

_(b) a copy of the rules that the contract must follow;_

_(c) a form of ACCEPTANCE of the proposal;_

_(d) a form of DENIAL of the proposal;_

_(e) an inquiry for the reasons of DENIAL of the proposal;_

_If you intend on ACCEPTING the proposal you shall fill document __**(c)**__. In this case you will receive a letter with the applicant's contacts within 1 hour. The applicant will also receive a letter your contacts within the same period. _

_If you intend on DENYING the proposal you shall fill documents __**(d) **__AND__** (e)**__. _

_It is highly recommended to keep documents __**(a) **__AND_**_(b) _**_for future reference._

_For purposes of organization and decrease of the process delay you should send your answer to de Department of Marriage within 120 hours. Otherwise, the proposal will be automatically refused and you will automatically lose the right to send a Proposal to the applicant in question._

_With the best regards,_

_Serena Johnson  
_DEPT. OF MARRIAGE

About an hour after she sent her answer to Malfoy, the previous owl came back with another piece of parchment.

_I appreciate your trust and I understand the need of a public place, so I suggest we meet at The Three Broomsticks, in Hogsmead, a place I believe you are familiar with._

_I am free Friday afternoon. Will 4pm be ok with you?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_'He already dropped the formalities'_ she thought_._ Well, in a way that could be a good thing because Hermione would feel even more awkward having to pretend they had never talked to each other before. _'If you call _that _thing we used to do _talking_…'_

Her reply could not be simpler.

_Friday, 4 pm. I will be there._

_Hermione Granger_

And so it was settled. In approximately 2 days she was going to have a date with Malfoy. _'Oh shut it already! It's not a date! You're going to meet him to understand why on earth he would ask you to marry him considering your past together. _If_ he convinces you, then maybe, just _maybe_, you'll go on a real date.'_

She didn't really know what she was supposed to think. This was such an extreme situation that her mind was racing. All that was left for her to do was prepare. Luckily, she had the present and the next two days off because she had already done the work for the week. Old habits die hard.

After all the morning fuss, Hermione decided it was a good opportunity to go out for lunch. Considering that her life was to be determined (at least to a certain point) by the Ministry, she might as well enjoy her few days or weeks left. And so she did. She went to Hogsmeade, lunched at a small restaurant she knew and then went shopping. Hermione wasn't used to spend copious amounts time searching store after store, trying to find the perfect outfit. She was a simple woman, who liked to dress nicely but confortably. It took her approximately one hour and a half to find the outfit she decided would be appropriate to meet Malfoy.

_'Now that that's done, I am going to the…'_

You already know where she went right?

_'…bookstore.'_

Not too difficult, right? To the bookstore she went. Now _that_'s a place where Hermione Granger could spend hours on end and never be tired of it. Every day there were new books to discover and new worlds to explore. With a book she could enter a world of her own and never ever have to be concerned about an unnecessary law created by some ignoble people.

'Miss?' The bookshop keeper interrupted Hermione when she was reading a passage from an ancient book on the Goblin's Rebellions of the 17th century.

'Yes?'

'I apologize Miss, but it's almost closing time and I have to ask you to leave.' The old lady reminded Hermione of her own grandmother, always talking with a smile on her face and kindness to offer. The bookshop keeper was a small lady, with big blue eyes and the remnants of a long lost beauty. Hermione couldn't be other than nice to the lady, for she never complained about the long hours Hermione spent there, scrutinizing all books.

'Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I guess I have to go anyway. I haven't even realized the time passing by.'

'Oh don't you worry dear.' she smiled and looked at the books in Hermione's hands 'Are you going to take those?'

'Yes, please. These are such interesting books I just couldn't take my eyes off of them'.

'There aren't many people your age that like those types of books. I guess people think that what's past is past and is no longer worth their time.' The old lady gave Hermione a small smile while she scanned the bar codes 'We tend to forget that what are for us the past and the history, were the present and the life for all those people portrayed in those _boring_ books.' By the time she finished the sentence, the lady had her eyes fixed on emptiness, what Hermione interpreted as her having been through some events that were now history.

The lady woke up from her reverie and then retrieved Hermione's money.

'I am so sorry dear. Sometimes I just fly to a different time and I get lost in it. Excuse an old lady remembering her golden days.'

'Please, don't apologize. Everybody has their own ways to fly away. I guess now there's a big list of people that wouldn't mind to do it.'

'You're talking about the new law, isn't it? I've heard of it. A customer told me all about it one of these days. Oh, look, he's exactly the only person your age I know – besides you – that buys books on Wizarding History.'

'That's funny. I guess I should try to find him then. Maybe we could have some interesting discussion about the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy of 1689. You don't happen to know his name, do you?' asked Hermione, her undying curiosity piqued by the possibility of knowing someone who would read the same boring books as her.

'No, dear, I don't know his name. Here you go.' the lady gave her the books and Hermione started to leave for the exit when the lady said 'All I know is that he has nice platinum blond hair; a nice young man, about your age, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe you can search for him around. His hair is hard to miss.' she smiled and finally said 'Goodbye my dear. I'll see you soon.'

Hermione bid the lady goodbye and turned her face around so that she could hide her shock from the woman. '_Malfoy? In a bookstore? Looking for History books? No, that's not possible! He couldn't. It must be another man. It _has_ to be another person. He can't be the only platinum blond haired guy here… or can he?' _

That night Hermione almost couldn't sleep. _Almost_. She couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of finally finding someone with common interests. Her friendship with Ron and Harry had been the best of her life, but they had interests that were in totally opposite sides: they loved to play Quidditch, she couldn't even fly straight; they loved chess, she thought they pieces crushed each other was barbaric; she liked to read as much as possible and they wouldn't even read what was asked of them; she cherished books and took care of them the best way possible, but they wouldn't mind to rip a few pages to play target-shooting on their free time. It was just too difficult to maintain a serious conversation about any subject she liked.

Right now, with Ron's death and Harry's absence, she needed to find someone to talk to or she would drive herself crazy.

_'Well, I guess I know what I have to do. I'll have to explore this possibility the best way I can and try to create some sort of connection.'_

* * *

**AN:** I hope you enjoyed the story so far. I know that some people may think this is going too slow but I believe these chapters are important to understand the connections and relations between the different characters. Please tell me what you think ;)  
Once again, please forgive any grammar mistakes, for I am not an English native speaker :)


	3. Chapter 3 - The meeting

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Harry Potter. All the characters portraid are property of one brilliant J. K. Rowling. Only the plot is mine. I do not profit from this in any way.

* * *

Chapter 3 – The meeting

The next day was an eventless one and it went by rather quickly, with the new books Hermione bought being her only company. Before she knew it, it was Friday morning and she was starting to get a little nervous about the entire situation and especially about the specific event to occur in the afternoon. Having to meet someone she barely knew to discuss a marriage proposal was strange enough in itself, but the fact that said person was going to be Malfoy just made the entire ordeal even more peculiar. Although she had known the boy for years, the _man_ was probably someone totally different. Or not. And that's what she feared the most. She was faced with three possibilities: he either (a) changed to the exact opposite of who he was before, due to the events that occurred a few years prior; (b) he maintained his arrogant, self-centered and snob way of being; or (c) he became even worse than before and accentuated his worst psychological treats.

'_It is really hard to imagine that prat being even worse, but I can't rule any option out, considering… well, everything. I mean, if the Ministry can come up with this clever idea to get us all married, I think it is possible that Malfoy became even worse. Or. _OR_ he can have become better. I just hope is the last one because if he is still the same spoiled little ferret, I won't be biting on this bait.' _Hermione thought while she was brushing her teeth, taking a bath, eating breakfast, and every single chore she did that morning. She had to be prepared for all possibilities or she wouldn't be Hermione Granger.

Lunch hour sped by and then it was time to get ready to leave at 3.30pm. She dressed, put on a small amount of make-up, something with a natural look, and then took off.

It was a quiet time to go around the city, because the majority of people were still at work. She didn't take long to arrive at the appointed place and so she was a bit early. She entertained herself looking around at the peculiar buildings and noticed some details she had never seen before, amazed at how some little details made all the difference in the aesthetics of something. Not long after, at 4pm o'clock, Malfoy turned the corner and met her eye. _'Is _that_ him? Wow. He's _different_.'_ Malfoy approached with a calm but steady pace, fixed on his target. He was wearing a well-tailored grey suit, a white shirt, green tie and dark brown shoes. He was _'elegant'_ as Hermione would put it.

'_Well, isn't that a surprise?_ _Granger's all grown up.' _he thought _'And well grown, I might add'. _He was observing how the black pants fit her _sitting area_ and the white shirt and emerald green cardigan fit her… well, it doesn't need extra explanations.

'Good afternoon Miss Granger.' he said when he got close enough.

'Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy.' she replied back with the same weird politeness.

'Shall we go in?' he stretched out his arm in the direction of the _The Three Broomsticks._

'Yes, please.'

And so they did. They found a table for two and sat down. While perusing the menu, Hermione gave discrete peeps over it to observe his behavior and his looks. When she wasn't looking, he did exactly the same to her.

The waiter came, took their order and left them to their fortune.

'I want to thank you for coming, Miss Granger.' Malfoy started.

'Please, Malfoy. Drop the act. We were classmates a few years ago. Call me Hermione.' It was just too strange for Hermione all the pomp and circumstance that Draco insisted in.

'Ok, you're right. Hermione then. As such, you should call me Draco.'

'Fine, Mal… Draco.' she reluctantly finished.

'As I was saying before you interrupted me to complain about names' he gave her a look of disapproval and continued 'I want to thank you for sparing me a little of your time to give me this opportunity. I wouldn't have been less surprised if you were the one to contact me.' he scrutinized her face, searching for any hidden emotions but he found none. _'I guess our little Gryffindor has learned a few tricks along the way.'_

'It's all right, I guess.' she answered, still maintaining a straight face, no emotions escaping her features.

'So, how are you? I haven't seen you since… well… since the _war_.' his voice was calm but he looked at her with what looked like an apologising expression. It was when the word _war_ came out of his lips that her steely expression seemed to vanish for a tenth of a second, changing almost inconspicuously to a pained one.

'I'm fine. Nothing new, really.' she answered, her steely expression back to her face, giving no clues to what was going on on her head. Or so, she thought. When Malfoy mentioned the war, he noticed her subtle change in expression and decided that maybe it wasn't a good conversation starter for a date. _Not that this is a date. I mean, I'll just explain what I want and show her the advantages a marriage with me can have. She can't deny them. How could she? I am Draco Malfoy, pureblood, heir of the Malfoy's estate and fortune, what's there not to like?_

After the sudden silence between them, Hermione decided to try to get what she went there for. 'Look, Malfoy… I mean, Draco. I don't know what your objective with this is, but I am perfectly aware of mine. I came here to know why you would propose to me. That's the only thing I want to know'.

'Fine, then. Well, first of all, I didn't _propose _to you. I sent a marriage proposal to the Ministry of Magic.'

'Sounds the same to me.' she argued.

'It is _not_ the same' he insisted 'A marriage proposal – on paper, like this one – is a cold, emotionless act, imposed by the Ministry of Magic, as an answer to whatever they think is threatening our world. Now, a true _marriage proposal_ is something completely different. Something made out of love, not obligation; out of will to become a person's life partner, not a business one.' Malfoy almost didn't perceive the change in his own tone when he started talking about love and true marriage. _Almost. _As soon as he did he changed back to his business-like mode. 'Ahm… Anyway, details aside, I do believe that a union between the two of us would be extremely beneficial for both.'

'And how is that?' asked Hermione with her typical inquiry tone (**AN**: I'm sorry to interrupt but I couldn't not explain the tone I imagined in my mind. Imagine her asking this with the tone Emma Watson used on DH1 when she asks Harry and Ron 'And how is it you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?' after they destroyed the medallion. Sorry, on with the story :3). 'You do realize that this _union_ is not just like one of your business partnerships, right?'

She was losing it. _How can he be that calm when our lives are about to take a 180º spin?_

'Yes, I do realize that. But I also realize that this could be _a lot_ worse.' his tone calm as ever.

'Oh really? Would you care to explain? We are obliged to marry and have children with another person – who's most likely someone we barely know – just because the Ministry thinks that is the only option to diminish or eliminate the birth of squibs! Can you please spare a minute to tell me _how_ could it be worse?'

It was done. She was on fire. She was letting everything out, careless of who's with her or around. Even so, Malfoy was determined to convince her and so he let her finish and then proceeded to answer her request.

'Gra… Hermione, I know that, and I also agree that this is one of the stupidest ideas of all time. But they did it. It's _done_! And now all we can do is deal with it the best way we can. To do that we have to find the best option among the worst. For you and me, maybe this is it! Maybe you are my best option and _maybe_ I am your best option.'

'But this is wrong! You hate me! How can I be your best option?! I am the big toothed, wild hair, know-it-all mudblood, remember? I'm a Gryffindor! I am – _or at least I think I am' –_ Harry Potter's best friend!'

'Not all of that is true. You have perfect teeth.' he tried with a sheepish smile.

Hermione stared at him for a moment, unbelieving her situation, but just a few seconds after she just cracked up laughing. Of all the things he could come up with to turn her mood around he chose the teeth. She couldn't avoid laughing at his face because his attempt seemed genuine. He really was trying.

When she started laughing he relaxed and laughed along. '_She truly has a beautiful smile'_

'Look, Hermione, I know I am not your prince charming, but I also know we are both intelligent and know how to turn bad events around. I am just saying that maybe this time we don't have to do it alone.' Hermione looked into his grey eyes and tried to find any trace of malice. She found none.

'So, what do you say? Are you up to the challenge?' he asked her, with his left eyebrow raised, challenging her. Hermione was never a person to turn down a challenge, so she did what she always does – accepted it by saying 'I've heard you like history', giving him a raised eyebrow in return.

From that moment, it was game on. The Ministry created a difficult situation for all the Wizarding World, but they didn't have to face it alone. They could work together to make the best of a terrible situation, even if it meant to make peace with old enemies.

* * *

**AN:** I know, I know. It has been ages since I published. I am so sorry for that. But I have two reasons: (1) College has been crazy because I am taking a master's degree on Organizational Psychology and I have evaluations and work every week, which gives me almost no time to do anything besides college work; and (2) my muse must have been taking some extended vacation to neverland because I just couldn't come up with the words to this chapter. I just stood in front of the computer and nothing emerged, so I apologize if this chapter is not as good, but I have been wanting to get it 'over with' for some time now.  
I want to thank all of those who took the time to review and I hope I am living to the expectations :)  
Hope you liked this one and I promise I will have another one up soon (I'm currently on "Férias da Páscoa" [Easter Break, Spring Brake, etc, etc.] so I have a bit more spare time). Have fun! Happy Easter ;)


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